Red Fox To Be Introduced At Bays Mountain

Kingsport, TN – Bays Mountain Park is getting a new resident this week. A young red fox is the newest addition to the animal habitats at the park.

After the passing of Bays Mountain’s raccoon, Belle, in February of this year, the staff began looking for a new animal to bring to the park. The fox will be placed in what was previously the raccoon habitat, which is getting a few updates, including a new door.

Before being placed with Bays Mountain, the fox was raised in captivity and then cared for by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. The fox stayed with a rehabber in the Tri-Cities area for a month while Bays Mountain prepared for his arrival. He was nine months old when he arrived at the park, and is now a little over a year old.

“We asked the interns at the park what to name the fox,” said Megan Krager senior naturalist at Bays Mountain Park. “They came up with Jamie, and it just stuck.”

Jamie is a red fox but shows more signs of a silver fox because of a genetic mutation that alters his coloring. Due to this, his winter coat shows off redder coloring than his summer coat.

Bays Mountain received Jamie in July. Since then, the naturalists have been working to get him accustomed to people and his new environment, with the future goal of having Jamie involved in public programming for Bays Mountain. Volunteers at the park have been interacting with Jamie to help with his transition into his new habitat.

For more information on Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium, please visit baysmountain.com or call 423-229-9447.